London natives Amelia Rivas and Christian Pinchbeck collaborate to create their debut full-length album, Sky Swimming, out April 29. On Elephant’s Facebook, they describe the album as “a conclusion that songwriting and documentation should only be accomplished by the turn of night, and should never leave comfort and safety of the bedroom.” This musical theory surely comes through in this dreamy compilation. Elephant is fun and laid back, and Sky Swimming is the perfect playlist for girls’ night, nights on the town, or a little R&R.
Rivas creates a romantic atmosphere with ethereal vocals and vibes well with Pinchbeck’s equally airy keyboard sounds. The album opens with “Assembly,” an upbeat piece with background “ahh’s” and Pinchbecks spooky keyboards. The album takes on a beachy sound in “Ants” with distant surfer guitar riffs and Rivas singing, “Take me away to the shore,” the ideal vacation song.
Sky Swimming follows with Elephant’s newest single, “Elusive Youth.” The song honestly exudes youth; it’s upbeat and dance-worthy. However, Elephants isn’t your run-of-the-mill indie band. They are quite versatile in their ability to take it slow. Pinchbeck dominates with eerie keyboards in “Torn Tongues,” and Rivas sings, “Gargoyles and the gremlins; they scratch under my eyelids.” A wee ominous, but I like.
Sky Swimming is seductive and pleasurably unnerving at points and a beautiful start to what I believe will be a successful music career for Elephant. The album can lull you to sleep or awaken your inner youth. Every lyric and beat flows seamlessly together and entices the listener to sing along. The duo is simple, yet effective and can elicit an emotional response from listeners.
4/5
Nikki grew up in an imitation German town in Georgia by the name of Helen. It wasn’t until middle school that she started to get interested in the arts: painting, music, and writing. She wrote in her diary, sketched in art class and listened to regretful music. By high school, her tastes became a little more refined. She found Fiona Apple, Lou Reed and Giant Drag, and they remain her favorites in college. She was accepted to the University of Georgia in 2012 and is currently majoring in English. Upon moving to Athens from a town with more trees than people, Nikki was a bit overwhelmed. However, there is certainly no lack of inspiration in Athens, and she appreciates its love for the arts and its service as a platform.